You may have seen some photos and videos from Thursday’s NFL Week 1 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium and wondered what was up.
No, it wasn’t some excited Bills fans making a statement like they were in the crowd at a soccer game.
It turned out to be protesters, two of whom made it on to the field, and it may be the same ones associated with other protests we’ve seen in pro sports this past year a few times.
Let’s dive in and explain who’s taking credit for this and what it’s all about:
Here are the videos
tf? pic.twitter.com/AFBamst8pA
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 9, 2022
This person really wanted people to see this pink stuff
(via michael.rogy / TikTok) pic.twitter.com/9Q0QaTlzEE
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 9, 2022
Two women with pink flares just ran on the field at Sofi Stadium. Security took them down hard. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/1fFUY01pCq
— Kenny Holmes (@KHOLMESlive) September 9, 2022
Things getting weird on the field in LA. pic.twitter.com/t7pJFVK2N5
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) September 9, 2022
This was unexpected.
Two women run on to the @RamsNFL stadium field with pink smoke bombs. They are quickly tackled by security. We can all smell the smoke.
The women’s shirts indicate they’re from a group protesting whistleblowers facing prison time for factory farm abuses. pic.twitter.com/KgSA4rwEB1— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) September 9, 2022
Who's claiming responsibility?
That would be Direct Action Everywhere:
BREAKING! @DxEverywhere activists disrupt Rams Bills Thursday Night Football with pink smoke flares & to draw attention to #SmithfieldTrial for the #RightToRescue as @waynehhsiung & @101Darwins face over a decade in prison for rescuing sick baby piglets. https://t.co/fMG0atOTqJ pic.twitter.com/V04PTmjHQM
— Direct Action Everywhere (@DxEverywhere) September 9, 2022
More from USA TODAY:
The women were identified as Emek Echo and Katia Shokrai by Direct Action Everywhere, which bills itself as grassroots animal rights network and said the women were representing them. …
The group said the protesters on Thursday night were trying to highlight an upcoming Smithfield Foods factory farm trial.
Smithfield Foods, founded in Smithfield, Virginia, in 1936, is owned by Chinese billionaire Wan Long. According to Forbes, Smithfield is the world’s largest pork processer and hog producer.
Wait, they've done this before?
Yes! At the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest:
Chestnut just obliterated him🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/dry7Oy8KZK
— jonah block (@JonahBlock05) July 4, 2022
And at three Minnesota Timberwolves games, with one person chaining themselves to the basket stanchion and another gluing herself to the floor:
She chained herself to the basket stanchion pic.twitter.com/fAbi6uREdR
— CJ Fogler (@cjzer0) April 16, 2022
A fan was escorted off after attempting to glue themselves to the floor during the Clippers-Timberwolves Play-in Game pic.twitter.com/RreK0kjPSG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2022
